Sex during early pregnancy

With the confirmation of their pregnancy, many women find that they enjoy sex a little more, perhaps because they're in a celebratory mood or perhaps in the first flush of pregnancy hormones. Other women, though, become anxious about sex -particularly in the early days.

The most common issues surrounding sex in early pregnancy include:

Symptoms of pregnancy have reduced your desire for sex

Extreme fatigue and/or morning sickness are two of the best and fastest ways to turn you off the idea of sex, particularly as many women find being confined in a small space heightens their feelings of nausea.

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Fear of miscarriage

Experts all agree that penetrative sex during early pregnancy will not cause a miscarriage; so if you do suffer a miscarriage, it will not have been due to having sex earlier. Orgasms cannot trigger miscarriage.

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Dealing with the news of pregnancy

Sometimes discovering you're pregnant can be unexpected news and you need to take some time to digest the news. In these circumstances, you may also become anxious about how your partner is taking the news and this can temporarily affect intimacy between you both.

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Your partner is afraid of doing damage

In the early days, many men worry that they may disturb and damage the tiny foetus, and in late pregnancy many fear that they may ‘bump' into the foetus during sex. Rest assured, even men of porn-star proportions will not touch your baby who is safely cocooned inside your uterus! A man's penis cannot penetrate further than your vagina as the muscles of your cervix and a mucous plug effectively seals off the uterus. Additionally, during the early days of pregnancy, the foetus may be small but it has made a firm home in your uterus and it's extremely unlikely that anything your partner does will disturb it.

Sex is physically uncomfortable

With the changes in your body, you may find that sex as you know it, is no longer comfortable. In the first trimester many women find the missionary position uncomfortable because of their tender breasts. Other women find deep penetration uncomfortable. If this is the case, it is best to be upfront about this with your partner and work together to find a way that you can both be comfortable.

Despite ruling out risk factors, it is still best to listen to your own body and not push yourself outside your comfort zone - many women feel the need to wrap themselves up in cotton-wool during their first trimester and enjoy cuddling and closeness instead of penetrative sex. Men, too, can take some adjusting to the news of your pregnancy, so if you find your partner reluctant to have sex, be patient and don't force the issue. With reassurance and honest communication at this time, you should both be able to feel emotionally and physically close while still taking into consideration each others feelings.

IMPORTANT!

If your pregnancy is considered high-risk, you have had a previous miscarriage or have experienced bleeding during this pregnancy, you should consult your doctor before you engage in sex.